GETTING STARTED IN TEACHING FOR
NURSING AND THE HEALTH
PROFESSIONS
1ST EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)JUDITH A. HALSTEAD;
DIANE M. BILLINGS
TEST BANK
1
Reference
Ch. 1 — Introduction to Curriculum Development
Stem
A school of nursing is revising its prelicensure curriculum to
emphasize competency-based outcomes. As the faculty lead,
you must decide how to sequence courses so competencies
build logically across the program. Given limited contact hours,
which sequencing strategy best balances progressive
competency development and efficient use of time?
Page | 1
,A. Sequence courses by disciplinary content (e.g., anatomy first,
then pathophysiology, then clinical skills), adding competency
assessment only at program end.
B. Use a spiral curriculum where core competencies are
introduced early, revisited with increasing complexity, and
assessed at multiple points.
C. Prioritize extensive simulation in the final year so students
demonstrate cumulative competencies in high-fidelity contexts.
D. Organize by settings (acute, community, long-term) so
students master setting-specific skills before general
competencies.
Correct answer
B
Rationale — Correct (3–4 sentences)
A spiral curriculum aligns with competency-based design by
intentionally introducing competencies early, then revisiting
and increasing complexity—supporting skill development and
transfer while allowing repeated formative assessment.
Halstead & Billings emphasize progressive scaffolding and
distributed practice to build mastery across program levels.
Multiple assessment points enhance reliability of competency
judgments and reduce stakes of single end-point assessment.
Rationale — Incorrect
A. Focusing on disciplinary silos and single end-point
assessment fragments integration and risks poor transfer;
curriculum development literature discourages late-only
Page | 2
,assessment.
C. Concentrating simulation only at program end postpones
practice opportunities and limits formative feedback necessary
for competency growth.
D. Organizing solely by setting can create isolated skill pockets
and impede general competency scaffolding across contexts.
Teaching point (≤20 words)
Use a spiral design: introduce, revisit, and increase competency
complexity across the curriculum.
Citation
Halstead, J. A., & Billings, D. M. (2025). Getting Started in
Teaching for Nursing and the Health Professions (1st Ed.). Ch. 1.
2
Reference
Ch. 1 — Faculty Role and Responsibilities in Curriculum
Development
Stem
During a curriculum committee meeting, a junior faculty
member suggests removing large lecture blocks to adopt team-
based learning (TBL). Resources and faculty training are limited.
As the curriculum developer, how should you respond to
integrate TBL while maintaining faculty capacity and curriculum
integrity?
Page | 3
, A. Reject TBL until full faculty training and dedicated resources
exist; keep lectures intact.
B. Pilot TBL in one course with volunteer faculty, provide
targeted training, and evaluate outcomes before wider rollout.
C. Require immediate conversion of all lectures to TBL to meet
modern pedagogical standards.
D. Outsource TBL facilitation to adjuncts to avoid training
tenure-track faculty.
Correct answer
B
Rationale — Correct (3–4 sentences)
Piloting allows evidence-informed adoption, respects faculty
workload, and aligns with prudent curriculum change
management. Halstead & Billings highlight faculty responsibility
for phased curricular innovation, capacity building, and
evaluation before scale-up. A pilot provides data on feasibility,
learner outcomes, and resource needs—essential for
sustainable curricular change.
Rationale — Incorrect
A. An outright rejection stalls innovation and misses an
opportunity for staged improvement; the authors promote
iterative change.
C. Immediate system-wide conversion ignores readiness and
risks poor implementation fidelity.
D. Outsourcing undermines faculty ownership and fails to build
Page | 4
NURSING AND THE HEALTH
PROFESSIONS
1ST EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)JUDITH A. HALSTEAD;
DIANE M. BILLINGS
TEST BANK
1
Reference
Ch. 1 — Introduction to Curriculum Development
Stem
A school of nursing is revising its prelicensure curriculum to
emphasize competency-based outcomes. As the faculty lead,
you must decide how to sequence courses so competencies
build logically across the program. Given limited contact hours,
which sequencing strategy best balances progressive
competency development and efficient use of time?
Page | 1
,A. Sequence courses by disciplinary content (e.g., anatomy first,
then pathophysiology, then clinical skills), adding competency
assessment only at program end.
B. Use a spiral curriculum where core competencies are
introduced early, revisited with increasing complexity, and
assessed at multiple points.
C. Prioritize extensive simulation in the final year so students
demonstrate cumulative competencies in high-fidelity contexts.
D. Organize by settings (acute, community, long-term) so
students master setting-specific skills before general
competencies.
Correct answer
B
Rationale — Correct (3–4 sentences)
A spiral curriculum aligns with competency-based design by
intentionally introducing competencies early, then revisiting
and increasing complexity—supporting skill development and
transfer while allowing repeated formative assessment.
Halstead & Billings emphasize progressive scaffolding and
distributed practice to build mastery across program levels.
Multiple assessment points enhance reliability of competency
judgments and reduce stakes of single end-point assessment.
Rationale — Incorrect
A. Focusing on disciplinary silos and single end-point
assessment fragments integration and risks poor transfer;
curriculum development literature discourages late-only
Page | 2
,assessment.
C. Concentrating simulation only at program end postpones
practice opportunities and limits formative feedback necessary
for competency growth.
D. Organizing solely by setting can create isolated skill pockets
and impede general competency scaffolding across contexts.
Teaching point (≤20 words)
Use a spiral design: introduce, revisit, and increase competency
complexity across the curriculum.
Citation
Halstead, J. A., & Billings, D. M. (2025). Getting Started in
Teaching for Nursing and the Health Professions (1st Ed.). Ch. 1.
2
Reference
Ch. 1 — Faculty Role and Responsibilities in Curriculum
Development
Stem
During a curriculum committee meeting, a junior faculty
member suggests removing large lecture blocks to adopt team-
based learning (TBL). Resources and faculty training are limited.
As the curriculum developer, how should you respond to
integrate TBL while maintaining faculty capacity and curriculum
integrity?
Page | 3
, A. Reject TBL until full faculty training and dedicated resources
exist; keep lectures intact.
B. Pilot TBL in one course with volunteer faculty, provide
targeted training, and evaluate outcomes before wider rollout.
C. Require immediate conversion of all lectures to TBL to meet
modern pedagogical standards.
D. Outsource TBL facilitation to adjuncts to avoid training
tenure-track faculty.
Correct answer
B
Rationale — Correct (3–4 sentences)
Piloting allows evidence-informed adoption, respects faculty
workload, and aligns with prudent curriculum change
management. Halstead & Billings highlight faculty responsibility
for phased curricular innovation, capacity building, and
evaluation before scale-up. A pilot provides data on feasibility,
learner outcomes, and resource needs—essential for
sustainable curricular change.
Rationale — Incorrect
A. An outright rejection stalls innovation and misses an
opportunity for staged improvement; the authors promote
iterative change.
C. Immediate system-wide conversion ignores readiness and
risks poor implementation fidelity.
D. Outsourcing undermines faculty ownership and fails to build
Page | 4
